Weekend Heller: A Sobering Job

Ever wonder what goes into all those luscious mixed drinks that were so popular in the late 1950s and early 1960s? Mildred Sophie Porter (1904–1996) had to know in order to paint these little beauties.

Porter worked for a brief period with Foster & Kleiser, the billboards company. Afterward she became a freelance artist, illustrating ads for many leading products, and contributed work to Sunset Magazine. She continue as a painter, and many of her paintings show her travels around the world. She was a founding member of the San Francisco Art Directors and Illustrators Club, and was known for her ads for Kikkoman Soy Sauce, Ortho, and various billboards and magazines.

About Steven Heller

Steven Heller is the co-chair of the SVA MFA Designer /Designer as Author + Entrepreneur program, writes frequently for Wired and Design Observer. He is also the author of over 170 books on design and visual culture. He received the 1999 AIGA Medal and is the 2011 recipient of the Smithsonian National Design Award.